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[An]1 dies Schifflein schmiege, Holder See, dich sacht! Frommer Liebe Wiege, Nimm sie wohl in Acht! Deine Wellen rauschen; Rede nicht so laut! Laß mich ihr nur lauschen, Die mir viel vertraut! Deine Wellen leuchten, Spiegeln uns zurück Tausendfach die feuchten Augen voller Glück. Deine Wellen zittern [Von]2 der Sonne Glut; Ob [sie's]3 heimlich wittern, Wie die Liebe tut? Weit und weiter immer Rück den Strand hinaus! Aus dem Himmel nimmer Laß uns steigen aus! Fern von Menschenreden Und von Menschensinn, Als ein schwimmend Eden Trag dies Schifflein hin!
J. Brahms sets stanzas 1-2, 4-6
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von C. Reinhold, Stuttgart: C. Mäcken, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1853, pages 41-42.
First published in the periodical Morgenblatt, November 9, 1840 (No. 268).
1 Lang: "Um". Lang was working a text that Köstlin had copied out for her (Christian Reinhold Köstlin’s poetry manuscripts, Cod.hist. 4º 437, Fasz. 10a Nr. 1, poem [23], Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart, Germany); in that copy the poem began with "Um."2 Lang: "Vor" (again, this matches the source she was using)
3 Lang: "sie" (again, this matches the source she was using)
Authorship:
- by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), no title, written 1840, appears in Gedichte, in Lieder und vermischte Gedichte, in Seelieder, no. 11, first published 1840 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Auf dem See", op. 106 (Fünf Lieder) no. 2 (1885), published 1888, stanzas 1-2,4-6 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "An den See", op. 14 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 4 (1841), published 1848 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Op het meer (Kabbel langs dit scheepje)", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Nestle up to this little boat", copyright ©
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Sur le lac", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 90
Blottis-toi contre ce petit bateau, Lac gentil et doux ! Berceau de l'amour pieux, Prends bien soin de lui ! Tes vagues grondent ; Ne parle pas si fort ! Laisse-moi seulement écouter celle Qui a tant confiance en moi ! Tes vagues brillent, Réfléchissant vers nous Un millier d'yeux Humides plein de bonheur ! Tes vagues tremblent Sous la flamme du soleil ; Si elles sentaient secrètement Comment l'amour agit ? Loin et toujours plus loin, Entraîne-nous loin du rivage ! De ce ciel jamais, Ne me laisse jamais descendre! Loin des paroles humaines Et des pensées humaines, Comme un Éden flottant, Emporte ce petit bateau au loin !
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), no title, written 1840, appears in Gedichte, in Lieder und vermischte Gedichte, in Seelieder, no. 11, first published 1840
This text was added to the website: 2010-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 110